


The Ascension of Armitage Hux

by EustaceS



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Character Study, Pryde is old imperial to the core, Redemption, War Crimes, spy hux
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-05-04
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24005464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EustaceS/pseuds/EustaceS
Summary: When Hux walked out from the storm, he wasn't the same man who walked in. How Hux became a spy.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	The Ascension of Armitage Hux

General Hux liked military parades with passion. His speeches were legendary. His Starkiller speech was forged in the fires of the history of the First Order. The end of the Republic speech, they called it. Hux knew too well, how propaganda worked. He was the poster boy of the regime until Snoke was no more. The decline from grace started slowly at the beginning, but gained momentum when Kylo Ren secured his position. The Supreme Leader remembered too well all those petty things between himself and Hux. It was Hux, who managed to arrange a peaceful takeover of the planet they occupied. The coaxium mines were now under the First Order´s control. The representatives knew too well what would happen to them if they didn't take the offer of being part of the First Order. The local government expressed a wish to celebrate the union with festivities connected to their deity festival. The population would have something more to watch and see that the treaty was blessed by the heavens. Hux frowned upon such primitive thinking, but if it helped the cause, it had to be exploited to the fullest. He surveyed the last report and gave the datapad to Captain Opan. Hux was tasked to display the strength of the First Order military might through a perfectly executed parade. They would tremble at the power of his soldiers. It would cement his victory and give a clear message to his rivals. He was still on the top and control was secured in his hands, despite being placed under the command of Allegient General Pryde.

Hux insisted on Pryde being present on the stage with him. With Kylo Ren and many local politicians and important figures of the military and society joining them. He would now witness Hux´s power. Pryde had to learn not to mess with Hux. The aides were darting back and forth as he walked on the stage. The city was packed with civilians and part of the troops were designated to keep the crowd at bay on the main square. The four streets were secured by rows of stormtroopers, but it seemed they were more for show, than for actually managing the mass of people. Hux strode to his place accepting greetings and stood proud next to Kylo Ren. Pryde´s mask-like face was definitely masking the jealousy, if Pryde was even capable of such complicated emotion. Hux gave him a look full of pure victory. The stage was full with the First Order members as well as the head of the ruling committee, politicians, military and those who were considered being important in local society. The security was tight and everything was going according to his plan. The whispers of the politician were like soothing music to his ears, how they made a treaty with the strong ally, how they were looking forward to the parade. How general Hux´s treaty would bring prosperity to them. Not only to them, Hux thought as it would certainly benefit him as well. Perhaps at some later time Pryde would have an accident here. If things played right, the locals would definitely show him their gratitude, which could be exploited. 

It was supposed to be a lovely day with fine weather, and a well set plan. It was, but it twisted and turned into something totally different. The first explosion shook the stage and the shock wave sent them to the ground. It was too close, but not as close as to mortally wound them. The first was followed by the second, by the third and perhaps a fourth. Hux lost count as debris fell on him. He looked around and saw fire and smoke rising where the detonation occured. The sound of the explosions was replaced by something more terrifying. The sound of the crowd in panic was rising in tidal waves below the stand. The muffled sound around him as the civilians dashed passed him to supposed safety multiplied as it joined with the noise of panicking people, who were desperately trying to get out. The square changed into a deadly trap, packed with moving bodies. The streets were clogged by more people. There was nowhere to go. The screams of those, who were pulled down under the feet of others were rising. Hux was still on his knees, when he heard a harsh voice barking orders. Enric Pryde was barking orders on the troopers and officers alike and to Hux´s horror his people were obeying. They made square on the stand guns ready. Pryde marched towards the Supreme leader and the head of the committee and said something to him. Hux saw Ren nod and his knights made a protective circle around him and those who remained from the locals. 

The fire engulfed one building and thick black smoke rose up. 

“Get the Supreme leader to the safety,” Pryde´s commanding voice left no room for protests “my lord, I will make sure that you will reach the senate building...I am staying here. Go now, my lord.” He turned around and barked into his comlink. The row of stormtroopers at the exits of the square had clicks to regroup and they did. Terror and need to escape changed the crowd into animals who trampled over each other trying to get to safety and suddenly some turned towards the place they stood. Hands were grabbing at rails in a desperate attempt to get up, to save themselves. The screams were overwhelming. It could not be worse. It could not, Hux thought. Pryde's perfect rows of the troopers would stand no chance against the frenetic multi-raced herd, Hux thought and tried to get Ren to safety. It was too late. 

Pryde walked past him, his ancient DT-12 Blaster drawn. Hux heard Pryde´s order and felt sick. He had to stop him somehow, but it was too late. The first row of shots were fired. Pryde gave the barrage rhythm. The blaster fire erupted from streets, from the stage.

The wet sounds, the crunching sounds, the screams rose as knights started to slash their way through the crowd chopping limbs, crushing skulls pushing forward covered by the trooper´s fire. Hux lost control over the situation a long time ago. Pryde was in command of Hux´s soldiers

“Them or you. They are already dead. Aim and kill,” Pryde barked “the reinforcements are on the way. For the First Order! For the Supreme leader!” 

The barrage of blaster fire was hitting a panicking crowd in short waves. The dead, the dying and the injured fell on the ground. The wailing rose up as the blaster fire rained upon the crowd. His soldiers were now firing into the crowd in a coldly effective and orderly manner. Pryde was there, he was with soldiers firing into the crowd. Pryde was keeping the line. Hux saw Pryde personally shooting one of Hux´s aides who refused to join the culling of the crowd. Her body dropped next to the kneeling Hux. He saw her glassy eyes, the hole in her forehead. Hux wanted to vomit. Pryde had created an island of order in the sea of carnage and was too busy to notice Hux. Ren and his knights were safely in the senate building and shooting continued, and continued.

Hux slowly rose up and looked around. He thought that those stormtroopers would not stand a chance against a huge mass of people, yet they were there shoulder to shoulder in line firing into the bodies running against them as were ordered by Pryde. The crowd was thinning as more and more dropped on the ground, if lucky dead if not trampled by the stampede of others. Hux stood there unable to move, unable to do anything. The mindless cruelty was unspeakable. It was Kylo Ren´s First Order. It was what the Empire drilled into men like Enric Pryde or his father. 

Hux was the man behind the weapon and killing for him was in the form of sterile shots of the massive weapons. Clean and faceless acts of destruction, which was in his mind merciful dealing with the enemy. The bodies on the square were mutilated, bloodied. There were young and old crushed and shot. He felt nauseous as the young girl was shot point blank in front of him. He had no idea how long that nightmare lasted. Suddenly there was a strange quietness around him. The absence of the sound of blaster fire. The hundred or less people were herded in the middle of the square shaking and too shocked to make any sound. The sound of Pryde´s voice boomed through the speaker in passionate speech blaming the Resistance for the bombing attack and consequences of it, how order had to be maintained. The soldiers cheered him. The morale was restored by the vicious old imperial warhorse, who spoke about vengeance for the dead. Those he killed, those he ordered to massacre, Hux thought. It was them not the Resistance. Hux stood there unnoticed and ignored by everybody. The first order troops and the rescue teams were pouring on the square. Pryde stood there tall and proud. His gun holstered and his swagger stick under his arm as was his custom. Hux staggered from the stage and walked to the direction of the senate building. He felt nauseous as his boots got splattered by the blood and innards of the multiple victims. The Starkiller was a mistake. The atrocities he caused while serving Kylo´s regime were haunting him now after realisation, what he had done. The bile rose again in his throat and his hands curled into the fists. He had to do something. He had to stop Kylo Ren. He turned around for the last time and looked at Pryde, who was now in charge of the catastrophe, they caused. He felt sick how Pryde turned the disaster into a bitter victory blaming the innocent for the attrocity. Hux turned away and walked to the senate building forcing himself to ignore the world around him. He swore among the dead to himself to bring Kylo Ren´s vision down. To bring down Kylo Ren at all cost. He hated Kylo Ren with passion now. He had to do something. The plan started to form in his head. When he returned back to the Steadfast, he made his first encrypted transmission. 

“General Organa. I presume this data would be useful for you from now on there is an anonymous friend in ranks of the First Order, who would make sure that it will burn.”

He had turned traitor, and spy, yet he felt strangely calm. He found his cause. The reason to fight for something, which finally mattered.

**Author's Note:**

> For my lovely beta. Thank you very much. You are the best.


End file.
